ROSSiA. 263 



Mr. Alder says of S. Atlantica : — " This is an odd fishj 

 crouching generally at the bottom (of the tumbler of water) 

 like a toad, with its great goggle-eyes half closed, and some- 

 times crawling along by means of its suckers, puffing the 

 water through the funnel all the time. When it does take to 

 swimming, it darts -very quickly through the water, and is 

 difficult to catch. Wlien taken out of the water and placed 

 on the hand, it had recourse to an odd mode of progression, 

 turning two or three summersets in regular tumbler fashion ; 

 first laying hold with its arms, turning over and laying 

 hold again, until it managed to get back into the water."" 



EossiA macrosoma and Owenii. — An interesting account 

 is given of the manner in which cuttle-fish of this genus 

 change their colour, by Dr. Ball. Speaking of a specimen 

 which he had alive, he says : " It was very active and watch- 

 ful; on passing the hand between it and the light, the 

 changes of colour were as quick as thought. When lying 

 quietly at the bottom of the basin it was sometimes almost 

 white ; but on passing my hand over it, it instantly became 

 of a bright liver-red. ... It displayed various degrees of 

 this colour, occasionally varied with blotches of white. Its 

 variations of colour were rapid beyond comparison with the 

 chamseleons." 



